What Ink Does the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 Use?
Last Updated:Quick answer: The Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 uses six Epson 552 ink bottles, 70 ml each: Black (T552020-S, pigment), Photo Black (T552120-S), Cyan (T552220-S), Magenta (T552320-S), Yellow (T552420-S) and Gray (T552520-S). Its maintenance box is the Epson C9345. Castle Ink does not sell 552 bottles, so we link to them below.
CastleScore · October 2026
86/100 — Highly Recommended
Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | 81 | 4.15★ average across 1,379 ratings at Walmart (4.2), Quill (4.3) and Epson (3.8) |
| Expert reviews (18%) | — | No published numeric expert score we could verify. TechRadar gave it an Editor's Choice award. |
| Cost per page (24%) | 99 | About 0.3¢ per page blended (black + color) with Original Epson 552 bottles at retail (6,700 black / 6,200 color pages; we don't sell 552). |
| Reliability (13%) | 76 | Most-reported problems: false paper-jam errors (000025); printhead or board failures; clogs after periods of no use |
| Features (12%) | 88 | Print, copy, scan, 13x19 borderless, CD/DVD printing, six inks, auto two-sided printing, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, 4.3-inch touchscreen. No fax, no document feeder. |
| Value (5%) | 80 | Running cost and owner satisfaction against a street price of about $750 |
Limited data: No expert site has published a numeric score we could verify, so the expert weight is spread across the other five pillars.
Still sold new. Best Buy and Walmart list it at $749.99.
CastleScore is Castle Ink’s own editorial rating, built from retailer star ratings, expert reviews, real cost per page and owner complaint patterns, checked October 9, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.
What Ink Does the Epson ET-8550 Take?
| Bottle | Epson part no. | Ink | Approx. yield (ISO) | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 552 Black | T552020-S | Pigment | ~6,700 pages | Amazon |
| 552 Photo Black | T552120-S | Dye | ~7,300 pages | Amazon |
| 552 Cyan | T552220-S | Dye | ~6,200 pages | Amazon |
| 552 Magenta | T552320-S | Dye | ~6,200 pages | Amazon |
| 552 Yellow | T552420-S | Dye | ~6,200 pages | Amazon |
| 552 Gray | T552520-S | — | ~46,600 pages | Amazon |
| Maintenance box | C9345 (C12C934591) | Waste ink | Replace when prompted | Amazon |
Yields are Epson's ISO figures. Gray is used mainly for neutral and black-and-white photo tones, which is why it lasts so long. Amazon links are tagged (as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases).
Why Two Blacks?
The pigment Black prints sharp text on plain paper; the dye Photo Black gives deep, glossy blacks on photo paper. They go in separate tanks and the bottle tips are keyed so you cannot pour one into the other, but you do need to keep both stocked.
What Does It Cost to Run?
Almost nothing per page. At about $19.99 a bottle, black works out to about 0.3¢ a page and each color to about 0.3¢. The catch is the up-front price, about $750, which you only recover if you print a lot of photos or large-format work.
Can I Use Third-Party Ink?
552 bottles carry no chip, so the printer cannot tell what brand of ink is in the tanks, and owners on printer forums reported no lockouts after 2025 firmware updates. Epson says it is designed for genuine Epson ink and that damage from non-Epson ink is not covered by the warranty. If you do switch, use ink made for the 552 series with the right dye/pigment split. The C9345 maintenance box is chipped and has to be replaced, not reset; see our Epson maintenance box guide.
How Do I Refill the Epson ET-8550?
- Turn the printer on and lift the scanner unit until it locks.
- Open the ink tank cover and unscrew the cap on the tank you are filling.
- Hold the 552 bottle upright and remove its cap slowly; don't shake or squeeze it.
- Insert the keyed bottle tip into the filling port and let the ink flow until it stops at the upper line. Remove the bottle and recap it.
- Close the tank cap, ink cover and scanner unit, then select Maintenance > Fill Ink to reset the level for each color you refilled.
Which Other Printers Use Epson 552?
Only the Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8500, the letter-size version of the ET-8550. In Europe the same family uses Epson 114 bottles.
What ET-8550 owners ask
These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, manufacturer support communities and owner reviews, answered in our words.
Why does it show error 000025 or a paper jam when nothing is jammed?
Error 000025 is a false jam, usually something blocking the carriage, often a dislodged ink-tube guide near the rear feeder. Power off, check the tubes are routed evenly and the guide is seated, and look for debris before printing again.
How do I print 13x19 or on thick card?
Use the rear feed, which takes up to five sheets of 13x19 photo paper, or the rear straight-path slot for single sheets up to 1.3 mm thick. The scanner is letter-size, so 13x19 is print-only.
The maintenance box is full. What do I need?
The Epson C9345 maintenance box (C12C934591). It is chipped, so the message cannot be cleared with a reset. Frequent head cleanings fill it faster, so keep a spare.
My colors look oversaturated. Why?
Epson's driver has Photo Enhance on by default. Reviewers recommend the Custom color setting with it off for more accurate prints.
Why don't the ink levels update after I refill?
The ET-8550 doesn't sense ink. After each refill run Maintenance > Fill Ink for each color you topped up.
ET-8550 quirks worth knowing
- It prints borderless up to 13x19 inches (A3+) and can print on CD/DVD discs.
- It has a 4.3-inch touchscreen, Ethernet, dual-band Wi-Fi and auto two-sided printing, but no fax and no document feeder.
- At launch in 2021 it was sold only through Office Depot and Amazon before reaching other retailers that August.
- Clogged nozzles after weeks of no printing are a common complaint; printing a test page every week or so helps.
Want our full verdict on the printer itself? Read our Epson EcoTank Photo ET-8550 review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ink does the Epson ET-8550 use?
Six Epson 552 bottles: Black, Photo Black, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Gray, 70 ml each.
Does the ET-8550 use the same ink as the ET-8500?
Yes. Both use Epson 552 bottles and the C9345 maintenance box.
How long does a bottle of 552 last?
About 6,700 pages for Black, 7,300 for Photo Black, 6,200 for each color and 46,600 for Gray, by Epson's ISO ratings.
More Epson ink guides: Epson EcoTank ET-2980 · find any printer
Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980 (cheapest to run) — CastleScore 90
- Canon PIXMA MegaTank G3290 — CastleScore 88
- Canon imageCLASS MF275dw (laser) — CastleScore 81
Sources
Ratings and prices were checked on October 9, 2026 and will change over time.
Need replacement Epson ink cartridges? Shop Epson ink cartridges at Castle Ink. Compatible, up to 70% less than OEM, and shipped the same day when you order by 4 PM ET.